The bride and dad, Mike Rutherford Jr., take a twirl on the dance floor.

7

25

The historic Rutherford Ranch

8

25

The groom and parents, Lara and Brian Thompson

9

25

Saying, "I do."

10

25

The happy couple

11

25

A vintage Chevy truck transported high school sweethearts from the ranch ceremony to the reception.

12

25

The bridal party models dresses from Mi Golondrina, Dallas, special gifts from the bride.

13

25

Relaxing at the ranch: the bride's dad, Mike Rutherford Jr. with his mother, Sally Rutherford, the bride's paternal grandmother.

14

25

The bride’s nephew, Levi Michael Rutherford

15

25

Gazing into the future

16

25

The bucolic setting

17

25

A blossomed banner greets guests at the ranch entrance.

18

25

The setting, decked out with wedding flourishes: Rutherford Ranch, established 1948, Buda, Texas.

19

25

Mile markers to the big day

20

25

The couple’s Brittany spaniel, Dos, gave inspiration to the groom’s cake.

21

25

The groom’s cousins, Jacob Smith, Emma Scott Smith

22

25

The bride’s maternal grandfather, Charles Wright deBoisblanc

23

25

The bride's dad gives a toast.

24

25

The getaway

25

25

Perfect ending to a perfect day

A storied family’s Texas ranch was the setting for the marriage of the great granddaughter of Rutherford Oil Company founder – Mattie Bell Rutherford and her San Antonio fiancé, Brian Craig Thompson Jr. The mother of the bride, Nancy Rutherford, shares all the details and inside stories.

The Couple: Mattie Bell Rutherford + Brian Craig Thompson Jr.

The Big Day: Saturday, October 8, 2016, at the Rutherford Ranch, established 1948, Buda, Texas.

The Romance: As the couple’s hashtag proclaimed, theirs was a #MatchMadeinMcQueeney. The bride and groom met 11 years ago while both were in high school, during summer vacation at Lake McQueeney. She’s from a Houston oil and ranching family and is the great granddaughter of wildcatter Pat Rutherford Sr., who once entertained Lyndon B. Johnson and had an airstrip built for the presidential plane to land on ranch property. The groom hails from equally patrician Alamo Heights, San Antonio, stock.

The couple dated through college — she went to Vanderbilt; he attended Texas A&M — and despite beginning careers in finance in different cities (the bride in New York City, the groom in San Antonio), the pull of the heart won out. With both back living and working in Houston — she with Barclay’s, he with South Texas Money Management — they committed to a life together.

Popping the Question: At the Rutherford Ranch, a year prior. The bride-to-be was not expecting it, as evidenced by her attire — snake-protection working boots, shorts, and a tee, hair in a ponytail knot. The groom, also in ranch casual, found a favorite spot from their nature hikes and plopped down on one knee.

Shop Now

Swipe

The respective families, who had been let in on the upcoming proposal, were waiting at the big house to toast the newly engaged pair.

Wedding Party: The 14 bridesmaids included two maids of honor, Caitlin Bailey and cousin Holly Wilson, and one matron of honor, cousin Amanda Rutherford Lodge. The 12 groomsmen included the groom’s brother, William Thompson, as best man and the bride’s brother, Houston Rutherford. The bride’s other brother, Michael Rutherford III, served as an usher.

Rehearsal Dinner: The down-home Salt Lick in nearby Driftwood served up barbecue the night before. “The air was crisp and the toasts glowed,” recalls mother of the bribe Nancy Rutherford, “the narratives hilarious and heartwarming.”

Special Gifts: The brides bestowed to the bridesmaids custom Mexican dresses with embroidered yokes, from Mi Golondrina, Dallas.

Clever Signage: The road from ranch entrance to the ceremony was four miles. Along the way, markers confirmed the distance to the nuptials — “3 miles until Mattie becomes Mrs. Thompson!”

The Ceremony: Three hundred guests including members of Houston and San Antonio old-guard families and a cast of friends, first grade through college, gathered for the al fresco ceremony and tented reception. The newlyweds were trucked from field to reception in a vintage, bright red pickup.